Williams, Hugh W.: Select views in Greece (Band 1) (London, 1829)

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" Naturane nobis hoc datum dicam, an errore quodam ut, cum ea
loca videamus, in quibus memoria dignos viros acceperimus multum
esse versatos, magis moveamur quam siquando ipsorum aut facta
audiamus, aut scriptum aliquod legamus ? Velut nunc ego moveor.
Venit enim mihi Platonis in mentem, quem accepimus primum hie
disputare solitum; cujus etiam illi hortuli propinqui non memoriam
solum mihi afferunt, sed ipsum videntur in conspectu meo ponere. Hie
Speusippus, hie Xenocrates, hie ejus auditor Polemo, cujus ilia ipsa
sessio fuit, quam videmus."------Cicero de Finib. V.

" Shall I ascribe it to a law of our nature, or to a delusive habit
of mind, that when we look upon the scenes which illustrious men of old
frequented, our feelings are more deeply excited than even by hearing
the record of their deeds, or perusing the works of their genius ? Such
is the emotion I now experience, when I think, that here Plato was
accustomed to discourse; these gardens around us not merely recal the
idea of the sage to my memory, but place, as it were, his very form
before my eyes. Here, too, Speusippus taught,—here Xenocrates,—
here his disciple, Polemo ;—this is the very seat he used to occupy 7'

J. P.